Gate-latch.



No. 858,866. PATENTED JULY 2, 1907. C. H. POSTER.

GATE LATCH. 'Arruonlonrnzn MAR. 29, 1906.

FI QE- WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

0 marks/72 03121? 7 AM y A TTORNE Y.

CHARLES H. FOSTER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907,;

Application filed March 29,1906. Serial No. 308,804.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. FosTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certainnew anduseful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in gatelatches; and itconsists in the novel construction of latch more fully set forth in thespecification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation showing the latch in itslocked normal position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the latchslightly dropped and gripping the under surface of the keeper upon aslight elevation of the gate by a hog or other animal; Fig. 3 is adetail elevation showing the latch in position for insertion into thesocket of its supporting plate; Fig. 4 is a perspective of the upperportion of the latch-supporting plate; and Fig. 5 is a perspective ofthe pivotal portion of the latch.

The present invention is an improvement on the construction of latchforming the subject-matter of my pending application Serial Number293,589, filed Dec. 28, 1905, and while contemplating the severalobjects of said pending application, the present device is materiallysimplified in minor details the advantages of which will be more fullyapparent from a detailed description of the invention which is asfollows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a plate provided at one end withlateral wings 2, 2, formed integrally therewith, the plate and wingshaving a socket 3 formed therein for the reception of the lateral studsor trunnions 4 of the gravity latch 5. Disposed about the socket 3 onthe inner adjacent faces of the wings are circular shoulders 6, andformed on the faces of the latch around the trunnions 4 are curved ribs7 so formed as to terminate in offsets or legs 8, said legs serving toride over the curved shoulders 6 in the oscillations of the latch. Thelatch is mounted in position on the plate 1 by inserting the trunnionsor pivotal studs 4 into the socket 3, whereupon by swinging the latchtoward the plate the legs 8 will ride over the shoulders 6, the latterserving as a hearing or riding surface and at the same time preventingany rearward displacement of the latch, so that there is no possibilityof the rear end thereof abrading or working into the wood of the gate Gto which the plate 1 is'screwed. The keeper consists of a flat arm 9projecting from a base 10 screwed to'the fence post P, said armpresenting an inclined face to the (preferably) curved or riding freeedge of the latch-head 5, said rounded edge riding over the inclinedface of the keeper as the gate is closing, when the latch eventuallydrops over the keeper causing the latter to pass inside the hook 5 ofthe latch. The under surface of the keeper is formed with a rib 9disposed substantially at right angles to the face of the keeper, thehook 5 when locked resting with the base of the hook against the undersurface of the keeper, the nose of the hook engaging the rib 9, (Fig.1). The present latch is likewise provided with a lower arm or extension5 for the same purpose as specified in my pending application aforesaid.

The inclination of the arm 9 is such that in the event an attempt ismade by any domestic animal to lift the gate (for purpose of disengagingthe latch from its keeper in order that the gate may swing open) theraising of the gate will depress the free end of the latch sufficientlyto cause the hook (or rather the terminal nose thereof) to grip or bitethe under face of the keeper, and thus preventing the gate from beingraised sufficiently to disengage the latch (Fig. 2). The latch thusbecomes thoroughly hog-proof as in my pending application aforesaid, butwithout the necessity of a special Having described my invention, what Iclaim is:

1. In combination with a plate having terminal wings provided with asocket and circular ledges disposed on the inner faces of the wingsabout said socket, a swinging latch mounted between the wings and havingbosses or trunnions engaging the socket, and rib formations on theopposite faces thereof adjacent the trunnions for riding over the ledgesaforesaid, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a plate having terminal wings provided with asocket and circular ledges disposed on the inner faces of the wingsabout said socket, a swinging latch mounted between the wings and havingbosses or trunnions engaging the socket, and rib formations havingterminal offsets located adjacent the trunnions for engaging the ledgesduring the oscillations of the latch, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a plate having a socket, a swinging latch havingtrunnions for engaging said socket, and suitable codperating formationson the plate and latch serving as bearings for the latch and preventingrearward displacement of the latch, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, MARY D. WHITCOMB.

